Sign kit and method for assembling a sign

ABSTRACT

A sign kit according to the invention includes a stiff backing in a predetermined size and a transparent cover sheet having dimensions sufficient to cover one face of the backing. Suitable means for mounting a sign, such as a built in stand or hanger, may be included along with a flexible sheet such as a sheet of paper printed on a front face thereof with sign information and adhered by a rear face thereof with an adhesive to a front face of the backing. The sign kit provides makes it possible to use desktop publishing, i.e., personal computers and software, to prepare professional quality signs in various sizes shapes and designs.

[0001] This application is a divisional of U.S. Ser. No. 09/138,063,filed Aug. 21, 1998.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The invention relates to a kit for making small disposable signsgenerally intended for temporary uses.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] Commercial sign printers can only produce large lots of signs(e.g., 500-1000) cost effectively. For small scale uses or temporarysignage, especially at trade shows where signs are a major expense,there is a need for a way to produce signs in small quantities withoutundue expense.

[0004] Various forms of temporary or removable sign kits are known. See,for example, Patrick et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,793,082, and Garran U.S.Pat. No. 4,946,039. One commercially available sign kit made by 3M Corp.is essentially an oversize Post-It note. Die- cut cardboard signs arealso known, as are stickers or adhesive signs. However, these known signsystems do not provide a practical means for making small numbers ofsigns for specific purposes. The present invention addresses this need.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] A sign kit according to the invention includes a stiff backing ina predetermined size and a transparent cover sheet having dimensionssufficient to cover one face of the backing. Suitable means for mountinga sign, such as a built in stand or hanger, may be included. The kit mayinclude materials for making only one sign or several signs, in the sameor different sizes.

[0006] One preferred form of sign kit of the invention includes a stiffbacking in a predetermined size, a transparent cover sheet having atransparent first adhesive on one side thereof and having dimensionssufficient to substantially cover one face of the backing, and aflexible sheet suitable for printing with a computer printer, such as asheet of paper. A second adhesive secures the flexible sheet to thebacking, which second adhesive is located on either the front face ofthe backing or the rear face of the flexible sheet. Suitable means formounting the sign in a display position may be included.

[0007] According to another aspect of the invention, the sign kitincludes a plurality of stiff backings in two or more predeterminedsizes, such as standard paper sizes, and a plurality of transparentcover sheets in one or more sizes having dimensions sufficient to covera front face of one or more the backings, such that each backing has acover sheet of sufficient size to cover it. Suitable sign mountingmeans, if included, are provided one for each backing. Sheets of paperfor printing may be omitted from this embodiment if the user suppliesthe paper as described hereafter.

[0008] Another sign kit according to the invention includes a stiffbacking and a sheet of paper suitable for printing with a computerprinter. The sheet of paper is lined on a rear face thereof with anadhesive suitable for attaching the paper to the backing and has aglossy finish on a front face thereof, which front is also suited forreceiving printed images from a computer printer. As before, means formounting the sign may be included. The high gloss on the front face ofthe paper takes the place of the transparent cover sheet.

[0009] The sign kit of the invention provides makes it possible to usedesktop publishing, i.e., personal computers and software, to prepareprofessional quality signs in various sizes shapes and designs. Anyoneowning a personal computer and desktop publishing or similar softwarehas the ability to produce point-of-sale signs computer printed photosand frames, identification signs instructional signs, desktop and wallsigns, computer-generated photos stand ups, business card stand ups andmany other forms of display in the sign or digital photography fields.

[0010] A sign according to the invention which can be made using theforegoing kit includes a stiff backing, a flexible sheet printed on afront face thereof with sign information and adhered by a rear facethereof with a first adhesive to a front face of the backing, a sheet oftransparent plastic cover material adhered by a rear face thereof with asecond adhesive to a front face of the flexible sheet, and suitablemeans for mounting the sign in a display position. However, as describedhereafter, a number of other finished signs also within the scope of theinvention omit one or both of the adhesives, combine the backing andprinted flexible sheet into a single element, or combine the printedsheet and the cover into a single element.

[0011] A method of making a sign according to the invention includes thesuccessive steps of designing a sign message or graphic on a computer,printing out the sign message onto a front face of a flexible sheet,adhesively securing the sheet printed side out onto a stiff backingmaterial, and adhesively securing a transparent cover sheet over theprinted sheet.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE DRAWING

[0012] In the accompanying drawing, wherein like numbers represent likeelements:

[0013]FIG. 1 is a front view of a sign made using the kit of theinvention;

[0014]FIG. 2 is a rear view of the sign of FIG. 1;

[0015]FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 3-3 in FIG.2;

[0016]FIG. 4 is a partial front view, partly in phantom, of analternative embodiment of a sign according to the invention; and

[0017]FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 5-5 in FIG.4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0018] Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, a sign 10 according to the presentinvention includes a piece of stiff backing material 11, a piece oftransparent cover material 12 having dimensions sufficient to cover oneface of the backing material 11, a sheet of adhesive-lined paper 13suitable for printing graphics 15 with a computer printer, and suitablemeans for placing the sign in a vertical display position, such as astand 17 or hanger 16, or even a hole provided in backing 11. Backing 11is most typically a square or rectangular piece of cardboard, foamboard, paperboard or plastic. Transparent cover 12 is preferably aclear, self-adhesive plastic laminate (e.g., PET, PVC, polyethylene),preferably of the type sold commercially as JM laminating sheets. Anadhesive layer 18 formed on the back of cover 12 is used to adhere cover12 directly to the front face of sheet 13. Sheet 13 is a sheet of paperor similar printable material lined with an adhesive layer 19 thatadheres it directly to the front face of backing 11, such as Averyadhesive labels presently available at office supply stores. Adhesivelayers 18, 19 are covered with conventional releasable liners prior touse.

[0019] Referring to FIG. 2, the rear face of backing 11 may be providedwith a die-cut, fold-out hanger 16, a die-cut fold-out stand 17, orboth. Sign 10 may then be placed in position for use by folding outstand 16, or by placing sign 10 on a wall or other vertical surfacehaving a nail or picture hanger by means of hanger 16. In thealternative, other common commercially available stands or hangingdevices may be used, such as adhesive squares that attach directly to arear face of backing 11 and to the support surface, such as a wall, orfree-standing easel or picture holder.

[0020] A kit for making signs 10 according to the invention includes oneor more sizes of backings 11. Since the paper used to print sheet 12will typically be of a commercially available size, it is preferred toinclude in the kit one or more backings 11 in each of two or morestandard paper sizes. For purposes of the invention, “standard papersizes” means paper or other flexible sheet material in commerciallyavailable sizes ranging from 3 to 11 inches wide and 5 to 17 incheslong, such as 3″ by 5″, A4, 8.5″ by 11″, 8.5″ by 13″, 11″ by 17″, andthe like. A typical sign kit according to the invention includes one ormore of each of two to four sizes of backings 11.

[0021] A number of pieces of paper or other flexible sheet material 13,generally matching or exceeding the number of backings 11 of like size,should be included in the kit if adhesively lined paper is to be used.The specific sizes of sheets 13 included with each kit will match thepredetermined sizes of the backings 11, for example, if backings arerectangular pieces of cardboard having dimensions 8.5″×11″ and 8.5″×13″,at least a like number of adhesively-lined paper sheets 13 of both sizesare provided. In the alternative, if adhesive layer 17 is formed onbacking 11 and covered with a releasable liner until the time of use,then ordinary paper supplied by the user could be used, and the kit neednot include sheets 13.

[0022] The number of transparent plastic cover sheets 13 included in thekit will generally match or each exceed the number of backings 11. Suchsheets 13 may be precut to the same standard size(s) as the backings 11,or only a single size of sheet 13 may be included which corresponds tothe largest size backing. For smaller signs, the oversize sheet 13 isapplied to the sheet 12 on backing 11 and the excess trimmed off with aknife, scissors, or single edged razor blade (e.g., an Exacto knife).The kit may further include such a trimming tool.

[0023] Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, a rectangular clip-on frame 20comprises four plastic U-shaped edge pieces or frame sections 22 withangled ends 23 that form corners, so that four such pieces are clippedonto each side of a square or rectangular sign. One or more sets offrame sections 22 may be included in the kit according to the invention.

[0024] According to alternate forms of the invention, the adhesive maybe omitted from one or both of cover 12 or paper 13. Paper 13 may, forexample, have smaller length and width than cover 12 so that it is heldplaced by an adhesive margin of cover 12, and no adhesive 19 is needed.Adhesive 18 may then comprise a layer covering the entire rear face ofcover 12, or cover 12 may have a central area free of adhesive in whichpaper 13 is placed. The rectangular adhesive margin of cover 12 holdsboth cover 12 and paper 13 to backing 11.

[0025] If both adhesive layers 18, 19 are omitted, cover 12 and paper 13may be held in place at mutually superposed edges by frame 20. Coversheet 12 may be omitted altogether if paper 13 is a high gloss papersuch as Kodak ink jet snapshot paper that can receive printing on itsglossy side directly from a computer printer. However, use of atransparent cover is preferred because it protects the paper from stainsand physical damage and provides a more professional appearance.

[0026] According to the method of the invention, the user prints thedesired sign on adhesively lined paper 13 and then adheres paper 13 tothe backing 11. Transparent cover material 12 is then applied over andadheres directly to the front face of paper 13. Excess paper 13 or covermaterial 12 may be trimmed off with an Exacto knife as noted above, orthe sign may be cut in any desired manner, such as along the irregularoutline of a figure in a photograph.

[0027] The foregoing embodiments of the invention solve a number ofproblems currently facing many computer users. While software exists forthe development of graphic materials that could be used to make signs,there is no available format for making a final product which can bedisplayed without going to a traditional printer for final production.The invention also solves the problem presented by unstable inks used inconventional ink jet printers. Covering the printed page with a cleartransparent cover material provides a finished surface that isimpermeable to water in most cases, and also has a professionallyfinished appearance required for a quality presentation. The sign kit ofthe invention further provides the user with the ability to rapidlyproduce signs and changes to signs at a fraction of the cost oftraditional production methods. Unique signs can be produced without thewaste involved in traditional printing runs.

[0028] It will be understood that the foregoing description is ofpreferred exemplary embodiments of the invention, and that the inventionis not limited to the specific forms shown. For example, the flexiblesheet and backing could be combined into a computer-printable sheet ofstiff material, such as Bristol board, eliminating the need for anintermediate adhesive layer. Instead of a computer printer, a colorcopier could be used to transfer the images for the sign to the sheet.The cover sheet may be replaced by a transparent envelope formed bylamination which completely encapsulates the sign. These and othermodifications may be made in the design and arrangement of the elementswithout departing from the scope of the invention as expressed in theappended claims.

1. A method of making a sign, comprising: designing sign informationgraphics using a computer; printing out the sign message onto a frontface of a flexible sheet; securing the sheet printed side out onto astiff backing; and securing a transparent cover sheet over the printedsheet.
 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising deploying a mountingdevice disposed on a rear face of the backing, rendering the sign readyfor positioning in a display position.
 3. The method of claim 1, furthercomprising securing the cover and sheet by means of a first adhesivewhich attaches the sheet to the backing and a second adhesive thatattaches the cover to the printed side of the sheet.
 4. The method ofclaim 1, further comprising securing the cover and sheet by means of aframe which holds mutually superposed edges of the backing, sheet andcover together.